Gabe @ 10 Months

I don’t know if it was the total flip flop of a schedule, the different environments we were in, (hotel, grandma and grandpas house, temp housing) or just his age, but first I can’t believe it was only 1 month ago that Gabe was this:

I feel like there have been two months in this 1. Seriously. I can’t even really remember writing the month 9 post, ya know… because it was so long ago? Weird. Anyway, that is all in my own world of holyshitballs-ness. Now on to Gabe. GABE! 10 months! He who battle cries like a pterodactyl! He who hears the washing machine door open and crawls lightening fast to try and climb into it.

He who sometimes looks as if he is on break from college. How did I make a child who is about 5 billion times cooler than I am? (I know my parents ask themselves that same question every day….)

Baby in a Box

I know last month I was struggling with needing space from my kid, and not really enjoying being around him. That has eased up. I think we’ve made some major strides to build an environment that is more about yes and less about no. Instead of always having to pull him away from all the things that he could not play with (our router, various cords he wanted to chew on, the drawers that he was always smashing his hands in), we figured out ways to adjust, ever so slightly, so he won’t hurt himself or our things. And this is with minimal minimal baby proofing. Nobody likes to constantly be told no, and I know that I really hate having to be that person all of the time.

“Mom, you are so not cool…”

Gabe’s personality is really starting to develop. He has always been a thoughtful baby but now he has this whole vocabulary of tones and growls that are more like announcements, question marks, and chit chat. He points at things he wants, he is now actively reaching for people he wants to snuggle, and! (my favorite) throwing little baby tantrums when he cannot get his way. I’ve also noticed that dude gets HANGRY. If Gabe is hungry it isn’t just wah wah feed me, it is tantrum city. It reminds me of someone who shall not be named…. **Cough cough Kamel cough cough**

Thank you great-grandma and grandpa! (I mean REALLY, a dragon you can ride?!)

Gabe is not at all shy about rocking out, and I am going to take full responsibility for that one. Dude lives to dance. His hips don’t lie. Or his little arms. Or his bobbing head. If he really likes a song he will clap when it is done. He’s a groovin’ machine, what can I say?

Gabe is now fully mobile. Not walking yet but crawling and pulling himself up like a boss. He is a crafty little bugger and will reach and stretch for every little thing, only to quickly shove it in his mouth. We have had to fish out toilet paper and paper towels in wads from his mouth. Weee! Choking hazards!

Last Saturday night (Aww yeahh SATURDAY NIGHT WHAAAAT!) Kamel and I were in bed, re-watching videos of Gabe when he was days, weeks old. Oh my we were delirious with literally hours of sleep between the two of us. And we both agree – newborns are so much easier to handle than Gabe is at 10 months. The hard part is that they are physically demanding, but oh my the beauty of a baby that stays where you put them! 10 months is a lot of work. A lot a lot a lot. And with no words coming out of his mouth, and everything under the sun going inside his mouth, I feel like I’m at the mental olympics trying to keep my eyes and ears on him while trying to get anything at all done. Sometimes I find myself just standing in the middle of the room while he plays on the carpet below me so that at least he won’t follow me into the kitchen or down the hall and try to slam himself with some door or cupboard. It doesn’t help that our new apartment is still not 110% unpacked and it’s a baby’s dream playground filled with a variety of things that could topple and smoosh him to bits. (Don’t call CPS, he’s never even had a bruise in his life.)

Oh. And he has also started to do this face:

From what we can tell, and after much scrutiny, I think this is him trying to smile. Not the laugh/smile that comes naturally, but like a purposeful smile? He’ll do it again and again and again especially if we encourage it. And sometimes it goes with a “Heeeeeeeeeeeeyyyyy” noise, which is even more hilarious.

Nap time rump in the air (and he just don’t care)

Very first time on swings! And loooooving it!

I love that he is becoming a complicated being. He laughs and snuggles and when he is tired he will crawl over to me and hug me, lay his head down on my leg or arm or stomach. He is really funny and plays games with us, loves a thrill, loves to be startled, loves to be flipped upside down. He can be pissy and shows anger and frustration. He is stubborn and demanding. He is a baby, of course, but he is also really amazing to watch.

Happy 10 months Gabe!! Keep on keepin’ on. You’ll be walking in no time, I promise.

15 thoughts on “Gabe @ 10 Months”

He is such a little man (and a very adorable one). He’s so big! I can’t believe that he’s already 10 months old. I alternate between wanting Elliott to stay little forever and wanting him to be that big and interactive. This first year is so fun with all of the quick developments and milestones.

Now, find a way to contain your child so you can unpack and show us this new apartment. 🙂

Oh wow he is growing so much. And before I read your caption…in that picture of him dancing with his arms up, he looks so totally like you in one of those videos where you dance in the living room.
Good luck with the marathon of setting everything up and getting all the things done! You will make it!

He is awesome! I love him! And I totally get everything you’re saying about it being more difficult now than when he was just a few months! I’m living the same, can’t do almost anything with Paula crawling around and putting everything in her mouth! And just wait for the walking part!!! Oh my, you’ll exercise a lot, so maybe that’s not too bad! hahahahaha…..Hope to see the new apartment soon!!!!! Miss u guys!

My “baby” also loves the dancing. Our grocery store has the Valentines-themed stuffed animals that play music out, and he was full-on rocking out to the Hippo Wearing a Loincloth playing “If You Think I’m Sexy” by Rod Stewart. I’m sad we live too far apart for a play date/baby dance party. ;-(